The Blow Launch Archive and Event Series to Shine a Light on Female Studio Innovators

The members of electro-pop band The Blow have launched a website and event series called WOMANPRODUCER to shine a spotlight on the "history of female artists working with the technologies of sound." Writing on their website, which features images and reference material for important figures like Sylvia Robinson and Laurie Anderson, among others, Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne explain why they started the project.

"The impetus to create WOMANPRODUCER came to us a couple of years ago when we started learning how many of the early pioneers of sound recording and production were women," they write. "It seemed strange to us that despite this historical fact, for some reason we had grown up with the sense that 'music producer' meant something that didn't look like us."

They note that even though early developments in sound recording, production and programming can be attributed to women, "mysterious gaps" remain in hard documentation of those accomplishments. "If the accomplishments of these artists have been overlooked, the potential for adding to the body of knowledge about producers and sonic innovators must no doubt be limitless," they said.

Other sound pioneers featured on the site so far include Daphne Oram, Rachel Elkind-Tourre, Suzanne Ciani and Else Marie Pade. The entries include dozens of archive photos, plus multiple third-party links to help info-seekers delve deeper.

Earlier this month, Maricich and Dyne launched a series of events at Brooklyn's Sawdust that included a conversation with accordionist and innovator Pauline Oliveros and performances by Suzi Analogue and Yuka C. Honda. A panel discussion that will feature singer-songwriter Neko Case, who has co-produced many of her albums, is set for Friday (Oct. 28). According to the organizers, the events are "being documented with the aim of generating more materials to add to the ever growing body of information about production and the broad range of artists contributing to the field."